Deaf Character - Blog Posts

As a Deaf person, I appreciate this person’s want to offer some form of representation of the Deaf community despite them being hearing themself. However, I don’t believe it’s correct to do so without having the most basic knowledge on the language we use to communicate. It’s easy to know when the author doesn’t know anything about the culture they’re trying to write. Like OP mentioned, it’s not to be fluent in sign language, but it’d be nice to actually delve into your character enough that you learn a little bit. Otherwise, this lack of investment makes the Deaf reader feel very used and/or like you didn’t really bother getting to know us as a community to begin with — a feeling we know all too well. We’re so much more than what people think, I guarantee you’ll be surprised.

Something I think could be helpful is to ask yourself why you want to write a Deaf character?

Anyway, I wish you and anyone else who wants to write Deaf characters well.

I have a question, if it's not too much of a bother. I'm a hearing writer who describes tones and voices more than anything, maybe. I have a character who is deafened near the end of my story and learns sign language to communicate. I've read posts saying that instead of describing a loud voice, for example, I should talk about exaggerated movements in sign. Now, I don't understand sign (the particular character learns BSL). How do I do the description anyway? Thanks, Luna 💛

Hi! I answered this ages ago but Tumblr is a piece of shit and didn’t upload the answer (•ˋ _ ˊ•) But anyhow, take two: 

Don’t worry about the description until you’re ready to edit your manuscript over with a fine tooth comb, or you’ll never get anything written. Being a hearing writer, you’ll be used to sounds, and that’s okay! I’ll come back to the actual craft in a moment, but before I do, your ask has a few points in that I’d like to address. 

Firstly, make sure you understand at least some sign. I’m not saying that you need to learn to speak the language fluently or anything, but it would be awesome if you could do some research into the basics such as grammar and facial punctuation. Once you’ve got those straight in your head, it ought to be easier to describe the signed dialogue in a more natural way. 

Secondly, I highly doubt your character is 100% Deaf. That is incredibly rare. It’s more likely that your character will have a limited amount of residual hearing–ie, they can hear noises that are low-pitched and high-volume, but the sound is “murky” or unclear. So while some background sounds could filter through to them, others wouldn’t even register. Whether they can hear human speech or not depends on the levels of hearing loss. (I talk a bit about the levels of Deafness in this post; you should do some further research yourself)

As for the craft itself, here’s the method I use for editing: 

Find all of the instances where you’ve described a sound and highlight them (either by hand or with something like Word’s highlighter tool)

You could also use the Find or Search tool to hunt down any sound descriptors by searching for hearing buzzwords like heard, sound, loud, quiet, noise etc

Some of these descriptions won’t even be necessary, which is a normal part of editing whether you’re writing a Deaf character or not

But once you’ve found the necessary descriptors, see if there is something that they can be replaced with

For example, instead of “The leaves on the trees whispered in the wind” you could write about the source of the sound: “She could see the tree branches shiver in the rising wind out of the corner of her eye.” 

Or maybe focus on another sense–there are four left, after all!

Sight, taste, smell and touch will all be compensating for the lack of sound. Use them. 

It’ll take some re-training, but you’ll get there eventually. Practise and experimenting is key

And for dialogue, here is a list of what you’ll want to be taking note of: 

facial expressions

body language

proxemics (ie, does one character move nearer to the other or away?) 

tics or non-sign actions (fiddling with clothes, tugging hair, shifting weight from foot to foot etc)

Hope this helps!

HAPPY NATIONAL FOREIGN LANGUAGE WEEK

top to bottom: Theo Dimas (James Caverly), and my husband Teddy Dimas (Nathan Lane). They both speak ASL and AUGHDS I love them both sm Theo I NEED your dad. Yes Teddy is pretty ass at ASL but we (WE) love him still. They could NEVER make me hate him🙏🙏

Interference

Summary: A very busy café is the beginning of a new friendship. And maybe the start of a scientific break through.

Pairings: Clint Barton & Bucky Barnes

Word Count: 1317

Rating: General Audiences

Tags: College AU, Coffeeshop AU, meet-cute, Deaf Clint, Amputee Bucky, Trans Clint, NB Bucky

Written for:

@flufftober : Have your characters share the last table at a café (Extra)

Fall Traditions

Summary: Kate and Yelena have invited their friends to go on a day-trip with them. Clint doesn't quite understand how a mace made out of corn is supposed to work.

Pairings: HawkDevil (Clint Barton x Matt Murdock), Bisholova (Kate Bishop x Yelena Belova (QPR))

Word Count: 830

Rating: General Audiences

Tags: Corn Maze, Hedge Maze, Clint Barton has ADHD, Clint Dyslexic Clint Barton, Misunderstandings, AU - No Powers

Written for:

@flufftober : Day 6 - Corn Maze

@marvelrarepairbingo : N4 - Hedge Maze

To see the Bruises

Summary: Clint Barton, Agent of SHIELD is sent on a very simple mission: Find the Black Widow, make sure she doesn't blow anything up and take her out.

But what actually happened is a totally different story.

Chapter 1: Love at first sight

Pairing: Clintasha (Clint Barton x Natasha Romanov)

Word Count: 1718

Rating: Mature

Tags: Soulmates, Deaf Clint, Trans Clint, Budapest

Written for:

@mcukinkbingo : Soul Mates AU

@multifandom-flash : Black Widow / Love at first punch

@julybreakbingo (post Bingo) : First Meetings

Once again asking, because all of these are really interesting, and i loved your fics! I'm really interested in 'Blind Hawkeye and Deaf Daredevil' 👀

Okay, I can't say too much about that one, because it's part of something else.

But it's pretty much what it says on the tin.

This is a universe something between Comic and MCU canon, Matt and Clint are Vigilantes and work with each other and the other Heroes.

They know each others identities, Matt knows Clint is Deaf and Clint knows Matt's blind. Everything pretty standard until there.

But that's where I'll just let two snippets speak for themselves:

Matt's POV:

When Matt woke up and opened his eyes, the morning sun was shining right into his face and blinding him. He squeezed his eyes shut again and threw an arm over his face with a groan. He lay motionless, cursing the morning light, before noticing something was wrong. It took him a moment to realise that he was not supposed to be able to even see the light, much less his bedroom or the city outside. Slowly, he pulled his arm away and gave himself a moment to adjust to the unfamiliar sensation of light shimmering through his closed eyelids. After a few seconds, he turned away from the window before he dared to open his eyes again. When he did, his brain couldn’t quite translate the new signals yet, and everything just looked like blotches of light and dark and different colours. Matt blinked a few times, trying to get his eyes used to the brightness and focus on his surroundings. Very slowly, things started to make more sense. Blotches turned into shapes, and shadows turned into depth. After a while, Matt was able to recognise his surroundings, even though everything was still a little blurry. Still distracted Matt decided to get up and make some coffee to try to fully wake up before he called anyone. Maybe everything would make a little more sense then. He sat up in bed, pushed the covers off him, and swung his legs out of the bed with a soft thump when his feet hit the ground. Except there was no thump.

Clint's POV:

On the other side of the East River, in Bed-Stuy, a car horn pulled Clint from deep sleep. He jumped internally and opened his eyes at once. When he was greeted with pure darkness instead of the familiar sight of his bedroom ceiling, he started to panic. The car outside honked again, and a few seconds later, people started to shout. Overwhelmed by the noise, Clint grabbed at his ears and tried to rip his hearing aids out. The panic threatened to suffocate him again when he found nothing. The blonde turned and tried to drown out the sounds with his pillow, but it only muffled them and added the rustling of fabric and filling to the mix. Clint began to hyperventilate as memories of the circus, of fights that were loud enough for him to hear even without aids, and of people yelling at him for not understanding them combined with the strange mix of auditory overload and a complete lack of visual signals.  Quickly, he spiralled.

From there, a lot of questions have to be answered and problems to be solved and Clint and Matt both have to face a whole new challenge.

But like I said, I don't want to give away too much just yet.

Thank you so much for asking again (and feel free to ask for as many more as you like)

Sound and Color - Masterlist

Sound and Color

The sound and the colors of Leaves : 2467 / General Audiences / Matt and Clint bond over their mutual love for fall and leaves and their disabilities

The sound and the colors of Snow : 3959 / General Audiences / Matt helps Clint get the support he needs and they take a walk through wintery NYC

The sound and colors of Flowers : 2531 / General Audiences / Matt and Clint are working together as the city warms up.

The sound and colors of Sunshine : 3570 / General Audiences / Matt and Clint suffer in the heat and talk about Family.

Link sketch dump

I got a bit distracted the other day and designed a Link. I don’t remember what inspired me to do this, but I had fun nonetheless. In the process of designing her look I also came up with a bunch of little ideas about her.

I would place her story somewhere between Spirit Tracks and Breath of the Wild. Although, I headcanon Hyrule Warriors as being at the point when the three timelines merge, so it would be before that. Before she became the hero she worked as either a blacksmith, an engineer or maybe both. She wears pegasus boots and prefers the sword over a bow.

She is deaf, and because of this doesn't talk. Near the start of her quest, she meets the fairy Emcee who helps her navigate and talk to people. A while later she receives a Great Fairy’s Earing as a gift. The earing has been enchanted to work as a hearing aid for her. She loves using it to hear Emcee and the sounds of the forest but doesn't like to use it in towns because she finds all of the noise overwhelming. She communicates mostly through sign language, or by having Emcee speak for her. After getting the Great Fairy’s Earing she chooses not to learn to speak because she sees no need when she can communicate just fine with sign in most circumstances. Except for that jerk in Castle Town.

Emcee and Link can communicate through a kind of magical telepathy, which is mostly used in combat situations. Outside of combat Link uses sign, and Emcee uses a form of morse code with her glow. Emcee insists that she is skilled in speaking sign language, but no one can see her hands so the point is mute.

I’m just gonna state that I am not deaf, nor do I personally know anyone who is, so if I’ve done something wrong, or been offensive in any way, please let me know so I can change. I started playing with the idea of making her deaf because I was thinking about the fact that many canon links have varying degrees of mutism for various reasons, and I began brainstorming a list of reasons why someone might be mute. I started leaning toward deafness when I was watching a youtube video and a deaf man was explaining why he chooses not to speak even though he did learn when he was younger. the way he described it like learning a new language, and how it is a skill that if you don't use you will lose it, made me see it in a new light. In the end, I choose to make her deaf because I’m studying game design and the idea of making a game with a deaf protagonist seemed really interesting to me. I think it would be a cool way to make people think about what it is like to live a different life. It would also make an interesting challenge to make a game that has no sound-based puzzles in it. I think the world could use more heroes who aren't “normal”, kids need to see that anyone can be a hero regardless of what they were born with or without.

I need a volunteer fluent in ASL

Hi, I'm Ene, and I'm writing a comic with a deaf main character. The problem is, of course, I'm not deaf, and I don't know ASL. If anyone knows ASL and wants to help, please comment on this post. If you know someone who knows ASL, please send them this post. If you don't know anyone who knows ASL, please share this post anyways.

Thank you,

Ene.

Write more Deaf characters!

[Large Text: Write more Deaf characters!]

When answering questions about deaf and hard of hearing characters, I have noticed they are overwhelmingly about:

A character who is deaf in one ear or hard of hearing because of an accident

A character who was born deaf and knows sign language, but seems to have 0 connection to the broader Deaf community

This is not the experience of most d/Deaf people! So, here's your primer to Deaf community and culture, and writing a Deaf character, because they are sorely underrepresented.

(Disclaimer: this post was written using viewpoints I, a singular Deaf person in the United States, have encountered. I tried to make this as general as possible to encompass many Deaf views, but it is possible that I have misconstrued something. Do not take this guide as the be-all and end-all of your knowledge on Deaf culture. Keep reading and researching the Deaf community, and explore viewpoints from many different Deaf people of all backgrounds.)

Why do you write Deaf with capital D?

[Large Text: Why do you write Deaf with capital D?]

The term "deaf" with the lowercase d means not being able to hear. The term "Deaf" with an uppercase D refers to the cultural identity formed by deaf people. This identity is difficult to explain but it includes knowing sign language and engaging with other Deaf people.

There are varying opinions within the Deaf community on who is allowed to call themselves culturally Deaf. Some Deaf believe that only those who were born into the Deaf community (whose family is Deaf, who attended a Deaf school, and/or who have sign language as a first language) are allowed to consider themselves culturally Deaf. On the 'flip' side, some Deaf believe that anyone with hearing loss can claim the label. And of course, you can find someone Deaf with any opinion in between.

This is all intracommunity nuance. If your character is born deaf and learns sign language at a young age or as a first language, they are likely culturally Deaf.

Sign Language Use

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Sign languages are the language of Deaf communities. (Note that there are many sign languages in different regions, and they are not related in the same way spoken languages are!)

Most sign languages did not originate alongside spoken language, either, so they usually have different grammar than the spoken language in a region. This means that someone whose first language is sign may have difficulty learning even the written version of the spoken language due to the different grammar and translation. For native signers, the spoken language of their area is their second language.

Sign languages are fully developed languages, with grammar and structure. Sign language is not "less" than spoken language, and encouraging sign language does not discourage speech. (Even if it did, that's not a bad thing! Sign languages are still a valid and rich communication form!) Sign languages have slang and expressions/idioms too.

Sign languages typically have a "manual alphabet" otherwise known as "fingerspelling". This is a way to represent words that don't have a sign. Fluent signers very rarely fingerspell; normally fingerspelling is for proper nouns which don't have a name sign.

Name signs are the last big point I want to cover about sign language. A name sign is a way to refer to someone so you don't have to spell their name every time. It's usually related to someone's attributes, like dimples or a specific way of moving. Sign names can only be given by Deaf people who are fluent in sign language.

Deaf Education

[Large Text: Deaf Education]

For a long time, deaf people were considered unable to learn, just because they couldn't hear. And since 1880, for about 100 years and even still today, the prevailing tradition in deaf education was/is oralism--a teaching method based on speech that rejects sign language.

Historically speaking, if deaf children were to receive an education, they would be sent to a Deaf residential school. These still exist, although there are also many Deaf schools that are typical day schools, just for d/Deaf/hoh students.

Deaf children may also attend "mainstream" schools; they might have sign language interpreters and other accessibility accommodations, or they may be forced to rely on lipreading and context, or placed in special education where their needs often still are not met.

Oralism still has lasting effects today. Deaf people have received, and still do receive, worse education than hearing people.

One common problem is language deprivation. Many deaf children grow up without access to sign language. About 90% of deaf people are born to hearing parents; even if hearing parents do send their deaf kids to a Deaf school, they may not learn sign language themselves, so the child must rely on what they can gather of spoken language at home. Sign language is even discouraged by some audiologists and speech professionals, because it "might interfere with speech". But by depriving deaf children of sign language, more often than not, they are being deprived of all language.

People who are born deaf do not learn spoken language naturally, even when provided with aids like hearing aids and cochlear implants. Many deaf kids who learn speech learn it through extensive speech therapy, and often have a "deaf accent" from copying mouth shapes but not being able to hear or process what sounds they are making, which may also include having an atypically pitched voice (e.g., very high-pitched). Lip-reading is inaccurate and the best lip-readers can only follow about 30% of a conversation, and that's by intently watching with no breaks.

It is possible to learn a language at any age. But it is easiest to pick up a new language when one is young. Children who do not learn a first language by around age 5--the age at which they would start school--have more difficulty learning any language, and may have frequent outbursts or trouble expressing emotions as a result of communication difficulties.

Another problem, especially within the Deaf community, is literacy. Spoken languages are often unrelated to the signed language of the same region. Learning to read and write, as a Deaf child, is like learning a whole new separate language, with different grammar and structure than their native language. This is why captions are not a perfect accessibility tool--it is, for many Deaf people, being offered an alternative in their second language, if they have learned to read and write at all.

Deaf Culture Norms

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To hearing people, Deaf conversation can seem very blunt and to the point. This isn't to say Deaf people are inexpressive--quite the opposite: sign languages often use facial expressions as part of the grammar, and there is a lot of expression that can be incorporated into a sign--but there isn't a lot of "talking around" things. You can see part of this culture in name signs, which are usually based off a trait of the person. It's not offensive--it's just how they're recognized!

Another conception is of Deaf people being over expressive, but again, that is just part of sign language grammar. Face and body movements take the place of tone of voice, as well as other grammatical clarifications.

Deaf people talk a lot! It's very hard to end a conversation, because there will always be something else to say or a new person to meet. Hugging and other physical touch are really common greetings.

Tapping people on the shoulder to get their attention is fine. Other ways include flicking the lights or rattling a surface (for vibrations). Eye contact while signing is also important to make known that you are listening. Groups of Deaf people will sit in a circle so everyone can see everyone else. It's rude to talk in a Deaf space. If you are lost in the conversation, you'd ask if you can write or type instead.

Deaf Space also refers to design concepts that are more accessible to deaf people. This includes good lighting, minimal signing-height visual obstacles (e.g., low waist-height shelves), visual indicators instead of bells, open spaces so people can sit in a circle to talk, and automatic doors and wide hallways/passages so it is easier to continue a conversation while walking.

It's also very rude to comment on a Deaf person's voice. Do not mention you're surprised they can speak. Do not call their accent "cute" or "weird" or anything like that. Do not ask them to speak. Do not say their voice sounds really good ("for a deaf person") or that you wouldn't be able to tell they are deaf.

Deaf Views on Deafness

[Large Text: Deaf Views on Deafness]

The Deaf community is incredibly proud of their Deafness. You'll often hear the phrases "hearing loss = deaf gain" or "failing a hearing test" as "passing the deaf test". Continuing the Deaf community and culture is highly valued, and learning sign language is encouraged for everyone.

Many people in the Deaf community dislike cochlear implants as their success is incredibly variable and they require invasive surgery and therapies from a young age. Another big argument against CI is that they are often presented as the only or the first option to hearing parents, who misunderstand CI as a "cure" and then do not give their child access to sign language.

Deaf people also reject any sort of cure for deafness, especially genetic therapies. Many Deaf people do not think of their Deafness as a disability.

(Deaf people will often point out the advantages of Deaf culture and sign language, such as being able to talk over long distances, through windows, and even underwater.)

Most hard of hearing and some deaf people have hearing aids, although it is really an individual choice whether or not to wear them. Many d/Deaf/hoh people are overwhelmed and startled very easily by noise (since they're not used to that much auditory input) and get tinnitus from auditory overstimulation. They may also struggle with auditory processing--locating sounds, interpreting sounds, recognizing and interpreting speech, and other issues.

The Deaf community doesn't have any general complaints about hearing aids, just many prefer not to wear them. Do know that they are an imperfect aid; they just amplify sound, which doesn't improve processing or understanding, and it doesn't make people hearing. Not everyone even benefits from hearing aids--their specific hearing levels may make hearing aids a bad choice of aid.

A big point you'll hear in Deaf spaces is Deaf Can (and Deaf Power). Hearing people have historically treated deafness as a sign of incapability, but Deaf people can do everything hearing people can--except hear.

Myth Busting

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Myth #1: All Deaf people are completely deaf. This is very far from the truth! Most deaf people have some degree of residual hearing, although this may require very loud sounds and/or at very specific pitches. Plus, there are many culturally Deaf people who are not deaf/hoh at all--CODAs, hearing children born to Deaf parents, are part of the Deaf community.

Myth #2: (Non-speaking) Deaf people do not make noise. Also very far from the truth! First off, Deaf people laugh. Many Deaf people also vocalize without knowing or intending, especially when excited. We can get very loud!

Myth #3: (Speaking) Deaf people talk loudly. While this can be true, often d/Deaf people talk more quietly than expected. This is because with severe to profound levels of deafness, no speaking volume is really going to be audible, so they will often rely on feeling vibrations in their throat to know if they're making noise. Vibrations are detectable at lower volumes than hearing people like to listen to.

Myth #4: Deaf people can't drive. I actually have no idea where this one came from but it's false. Deaf people can absolutely drive, and tend to have a lower rate of accidents and violations than hearing drivers. There is a common trend of treating d/Deaf people like they can't do things unrelated to hearing, but deafness on its own only affects hearing.

Deaf Struggles in the Hearing World

[Large Text: Deaf Struggles in the Hearing World]

A huge problem is just basic accessibility. Many places do not have captions or visual indicators, or rely on hearing (like drive-throughs). Movie open caption screenings are often at awkward times, and caption glasses are hard to find or access and awkward to wear.

Deaf people are also at increased risk of police violence. Police often treat signing as aggression, rather than attempts to communicate. When they yell, talk quickly, or shine a flashlight in Deaf people's faces, it's even harder to understand what is going on. Deaf people are also not often provided with a qualified interpreter and may not understand what is going on or why they were arrested.

Deaf people, specifically those who are mainly kept in the hearing world, have higher rates of drug use and addiction.

Hearing people also treat Deaf people as incapable or lesser. Gallaudet University had only hearing presidents until 1988 after the Deaf President Now protests; then-chair of the board at GU said in a statement that received heavy backlash from the students, "deaf people cannot function in the hearing world".

When writing your Deaf character:

[Large Text: When writing your Deaf Character:]

Were they born to hearing parents or to Deaf parents? (90% of deaf children are born to hearing parents.) Is anyone else in the family d/Deaf?

At what age was their deafness noticed? (It can be at birth, or it can take several years, even for children born deaf.) Is their hearing loss progressive? Is their hearing loss significantly different in each ear?

Were they eligible for cochlear implants? Did they get CI? Did they get hearing aids? (Consider cost as a factor: CI requires the surgery as well as intensive speech therapy; hearing aids are also expensive and can need replacement and refitting.) How well do the aids work for them? Do they have them in one or both ears?

What advice did their family receive from audiologists and speech therapists about sign language and communication, and did their family listen? Did they learn sign language? At what age? Did their parents and family learn sign language? Are they language-deprived? Did they go through speech therapy? What is their speech like? Do they like using their voice?

Did or do they attend Deaf school? Is it residential or day school? If it's residential, did they understand what was happening when they were dropped off? Does the school use sign language or rely on oralism? (Consider time period; most schools now use sign language, but from 1880-about 1980 the predominant method was oralism.)

If they don't attend a Deaf school, what accommodations are they receiving in mainstream setting? Are they in special education? Are they in a Deaf program at a mainstream school? Do they have an interpreter? How much do they understand what is going on in class?

How involved are they in Deaf community and culture? Are their friends and family involved and supportive of the Deaf community? Do they treat deafness like something to cure? Do their friends and family frequently ignore or "forget" that they are deaf?

In general, consider their scenario, what ableism they've faced, and what their Deaf identity is.

Happy writing, and please continue to send in your questions!

Mod Rock

a sign of affection media review: Deaf representation (under cut long lots of points to discuss)

a sign of affection is anime about a Deaf college student yuki.

they showed the sign language on screen most of the time characters were signing. (apparently creator worked with Deaf friend to make sure signs were accurate. don't know japanese or signed japanese so can't say if signing was correct.)

good depiction of hearing aids & auditory processing. when yuki wears her hearing aids she can hear some sounds but she can't tell where they are coming from & she has trouble identifying sounds (& sounds don't form words).

good respectful about yuki's voice. yuki character have voice actor narrate her thoughts & signs out loud but yuki doesn't speak. she explains one point she copy people's mouth shape learn to speak but she has deaf accent. she only uses voice with her family.

okay with lip reading depiction. don't know if japanese is easier to lipread than english. but yuki mainly understands others with lipreading only no sound cues. is only shown make mistakes or misunderstand few times. good job she can't lip read when character wears masks or mouth not in her sight line.

sad there is not more sign. for having multiple Deaf & signing characters, not much sign language presence. even when talk to yuki characters know sign language not always sign to her. also usually talk to her instead of write . burden is on yuki for communication. also even yuki not sign very much usually type on phone or gesture.

which relate to next point: not good Deaf community representation. yuki went to Deaf school & has Deaf friends but hardly ever see her Deaf friends & her interact with Deaf community.

she in mainstream college setting no interpreter . all hearing friends now & again communicate way is most convenient for them. yuki not participate in conversations a lot & nearly always hear from yuki is just internal monologue. Deaf character is isolated.

one more thing yuki infantilized. she is shorter than most other characters include other girl characters (on its own not problem just how fit into whole character). have a signing character say Deaf people should not go out into college/hearing world & should be kept safe, & same character intervenes in situations involving Deaf characters without their permission. (think that character overall shown as be negative behavior though.)

last point: captions. maybe just version i watch but subtitles only translation of the spoken japanese. no caption for sound effects/music which ironic given is show about Deaf character. think would be accessible to Deaf audience especially when sounds sometimes important to scene.

overall: cute story, okay representation. probably made for hearing audience. definite things would like to see handle better but pretty good overall.